Kasubi hill was originally called Nabulagala. When Mutesa I established his palace on the hill in 1882, he changed its name to Kasubi, a village in Kyagwe where he grew up.
This is a traditional site in an urban setting 5kms to the south-west of Kampala city, the capital of Uganda. Four of the last Kings (Bassekabaka) of the Kingdom of Buganda namely; Mutesa I (1865-1884), Daniel Mwanga II (1884-1897), Daudi Cwa II (1897-1939) and Frederick Mutesa II (1939-1966), were buried in this gigantic dome-shaped grass thatched house known as Muzibu Azaala Mpanga.
The magnificent reed and ring work representing the 52 clans of the Baganda and the equally long and straight poles wrapped with barkcloth, the tranquility inside the house all contribute to the mysticism, respect and awe which are the intangible values about the great house.
Indeed it is not only the cementary of the Buganda royalty but also an active religious shrine of the Buganda Kingdom. Its traditional architectural design, its religious function and living relevance formed the criteria for its nomination as a unique cultural site of outstanding universal value. Kasubi Royal Tombs of the Kings of Buganda was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in December 2001. It is a famous tourist site which records more than 50,000 visitors a year.
